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hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
2
: deserving of or arousing hate
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

Examples of hateful in a Sentence

the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Others, such as Rod Dreher, have very recently begun to voice concern over the hateful trajectory of the American right. George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025 As the duo laughed and praised each other, Trump himself avoided discussion of his potential $1 billion-plus lawsuit against the BBC and reports that the Coast Guard will no longer view swastika flags as hateful. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Nov. 2025 Advertisement The Carpenter’s Son has been the subject of a review bombing campaign both on Google and IMDb, and the trailers have been flooded with angry comments calling it blasphemous and hateful, as well as demands that the movie be banned. Barry Levitt, Time, 14 Nov. 2025 In a world divided by politics and hateful rhetoric fueling neighborly and even family feuds − not to mention a loneliness epidemic among the nation's youth and older adults alike − a neighborhood like Silverwood can feel far-fetched. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hateful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hate hate entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hateful was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hateful. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

hateful

adjective
hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
hateful enemies
2
: causing or deserving hate
a hateful crime
hatefully adverb
hatefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hateful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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